Obstetrician-gynecologist about the pros and cons of menstrual cups
Menstrual cup - one of the means of hygiene, it is clear for what periods. In Russia, for various reasons, they are not popular, and few people know about them. We decided to find out from the doctor whether these caps are really better than other means and whether it is worth going completely to them.
Tamara Kvaraya
Obstetrician-gynecologist at the Atlas Medical Center
Each girl chooses by herself what hygiene products to use, be it menstrual cups (caps), gaskets, or tampons. The cup accumulates more blood than a tampon (30 ml versus 18). They are reusable and disposable, they have the same principle of action, but disposables are made of soft material, so they can theoretically break. Such cases are rare, but still happen. But in them, unlike reusable, you can have sex.
The main advantage of bowls is cost effectiveness. A reusable mouthpiece costs much less than hundreds of tampons. They are also more environmentally friendly: less material is required for their production. Personally, I do not see any other particular advantages. The question of convenience is individual, someone likes that the cup does not increase in volume during wearing and does not press. As for the syndrome of toxic shock, it does not depend on the means of hygiene and can occur when using bowls.
It’s easy to learn how to install a mouth guard; a woman will immediately feel discomfort. The cup is selected depending on the size of the vagina and the amount of menstrual flow. In principle, for small discharge, you can put the bowl in the morning and remove it in the evening. Capes are made from different materials, including antiallergic.
A reusable bowl costs much less than hundreds of tampons.
There are no contraindications, except that virgins can not use the bowl. Many believe that mouthguards can only be worn for those who give birth, but this is not so. I believe that for reasons of hygiene it is better to use disposable cups, while at the time of the shift you should always wash your hands. Likewise, I recommend tampons with applicators or gaskets for use. Another thing is that gaskets may not always be convenient, for example in summer.
In Russia, menstrual cups are not popular. In my opinion, this is due to the fact that Russian brands do not manufacture them, and they are not available on the open market in pharmacies; there is also no advertising of these funds. During my entire practice, I met only two patients who use them. At the same time they combine bowls with tampons and gaskets and use them irregularly. Apparently, they are not so comfortable to replace everything else.